Late Manawa Peter Gatkuoth. Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation. | Courtesy.

The casket carrying the body of late Manawa Peter Gatkuoth, Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation will be brought to Juba, from Egypt on Monday morning.

The SPLM-IO Spokesperson Puok Both Baluang said the casket carrying the body of the departed minister will be received by top government officials at Juba International Airport.

“We would like to inform the general public that the body of the late will arrive Juba International Airport on Monday at around 8 AM,” said Puok Both.

Minister Manawa Peter Gatkuoth passed on at a Cairo hospital after undergoing an unsuccessful operation, last week.

First Vice President Dr. Riek Machar revealed, Gatkuoth was diagnosed with high blood pressure that ruptured a vital blood vessel in his chest.

“Mr Manawa was a strong student leader during his university days as well as a leader in the youth movement in Sudan. He was a committed nationalist. He was a strong believer in reforms,” Machar said.

President Salva Kiir also described late Peter Manawa “a leader of his own who will be remembered for the leadership role he played both in youth movement and the political scene.”

In his condolence message read out on the state-owned telivision SSBC, Kiir said he was shocked to hear about the ‘untimely death’ of his cabinet member.

It is with profound sorrow that I received the news of the passing on of Honorable Peter Manawa Gatkouth,

“On behalf of my family, the government and the people of South Sudan, I offered my heartfelt condolences to the family, his colleagues in the cabinet, his staff in the Ministry…. and South Sudanese,” said the head-of-state.

Meanwhile, SPLM-IO official, Puok Both said the funeral will be at Medan Simba near the Giada military hospital, and called upon mourners including the family members to go to Medan Simba Square  for the funeral.

The deceased, Minister Gatkuoth will be laid to rest in Juba on the same day.